IDEFYEM - Chapter 25
Black Man, I'll Do Everything For You Except Marriage!
"Cough, Cough."
"Well, Enri, are you okay?"
Kael had a friendly expression on his face, his eyebrows drooping, and he handed me a handkerchief.
A handkerchief or something. I was in a state of confusion trying to understand the meaning of the question he asked. How far have I been caught?
Did I go to the information guild? The night market I visited with Tristan?
"You often cough during meals. It would be a good idea to tell the chef to pay more attention."
"No, it's not because of the cooking."
It's because you keep asking me difficult questions while I'm eating!
I finally got a handkerchief and wiped my mouth and bit my tongue. For now, let's just grab it.
"I don't know what you mean by going out. I didn't even step out of bed last night."
"Of course, you did because you were busy wandering around here."
Huh?
I raised my head as the conversation went differently than I expected.
"Didn't you come to my dreams around dawn, Enri?"
Knock, knock.
Kael's long, straight fingers were tapping my forehead, which was clearly exposed. He looked at me with amusement as if my soul had disappeared, and then burst into laughter. It didn't take long for me to understand that my feet were numb after being stabbed.
Relief at not being caught and embarrassed passed through me in that order.
"That's a person, a fox...."
"What did you just say?"
"Next time I appear in your dream, I want to give you a honey chestnut as a gift."
It doesn't mean that he knows anything. That black man, I really don't know what he's thinking. I narrowed my eyes and looked at him, then looked away and asked.
"Let's just listen to the story. How did I come out of the dream?"
"Well, are you sure you want to hear it? It's still bright...."
"What are you talking about? I've never seen people like you!"
"Of course, I'm joking."
With eyes that seemed to be looking at an unscrupulous person, Kael raised his hands as if he were surrendering. I knew it was a joke anyway. I didn't want to lose my expression, even if it was because my heart almost dropped in the morning.
As I was sharply biting into a piece of bread, I heard a loud noise. It sounds like it's coming from outside the window. I asked, surprised by the noise in the Count's residence, which was always strangely quiet.
"What's going on? It's noisy outside."
"There has been noise in your ears since morning. It's my fault."
"No, that's okay."
He, who had been burying his mouth in his teacup, soon put the cup down and spoke.
"Exterior wall repairs are in progress. I ordered that filling the cracks be a top priority."
"Pfft.. Cough"
Completely caught off guard, I stopped once again.
"Suddenly...?"
"I discovered it during early morning training and ordered it to be dealt with immediately. It's an important issue related to security."
I fluttered my eyelashes and looked at his face. There was nothing that could be read from his usual relaxed expression.
"...No, right?"
"Hmm?"
The man tilted his head in response to the question without a subject. Yes, if I had been caught, you would have said it out loud. Coincidence, coincidence.
After calming my startled heart, I calmed my voice and said what I had originally wanted to say.
"Kael, are you also participating in the hunting banquet?"
He was somehow silent before answering.
"Did someone tell you about the banquet?"
"I'm not a fool just because I've been locked up in the Duke's mansion my whole life. At this time, when summer was coming to an end, everyone was busy preparing for the banquet."
I brought up a plan I had been thinking about since I rode Tristan's horse yesterday.
"Martha, who attended the banquet, brought a lot of game. With it, she would knit clothes and scarves for herself to wear throughout the winter."
"..."
"Of course, I didn't have my share."
This is a sympathy appeal operation!
"At least once... I wanted to see with my own eyes an autumn hunting ground with fallen leaves fluttering about. Even if I don't dream of someone offering me the game."
I muttered in a pitiful voice.
"Oh, of course, I'm not saying I want to participate. Like my father said, how could I go out to a place like that when I'm ugly?"
This is a strategy I used once when attending a masquerade ball. I don't know if it will work again. While he was worrying, a crackling sound was heard from the glass in Kael's hand.
"..."
My gaze focused firmly on the direction from which the sound came. If I say more, will I become like that too? There was a clear sound of breaking, but the glass looked intact without any cracks.
"Did you hear something just now?"
"What do you mean?"
The man asked back as if he didn't understand.
"Anyway, uh. How far did it go...Can I just participate in the hunting banquet and win?"
No, I didn't talk about winning. I became very scared, looked at Kael's eyes, and asked.
"You don't feel like it, do you?"
"If it's something you want to do, you don't need to ask for my permission or look at me, but."
Kael said with a look that was imagining something bad.
"But at this banquet... The Grand Duke must participate."
"He has to participate?"
"He will participate."
When pointed out an awkward sentence, Kael blinked twice and corrected the ending. No matter how much he worries about me, that easy-going man makes all kinds of mistakes with his words.
"There is a high probability that I will not be able to attend the banquet due to circumstances at that time, Enri."
"Then..."
"If you have a problem, I won't be around. Especially at tea parties where only women attend."
Kael's absence from the Grand Duke's participation. Even the plan Martha is planning is confirmed. Why is the difficulty level like this? I was a little shaken and was reconsidering attending
"If your intentions haven't changed, we will find a suitable escort."
I thought for a moment and then asked.
"His Highness the Grand Duke... Won't he try to kill me this time?"
"Yes?"
Kael asked back with a somewhat absurd expression.
"I was scared when we met at a banquet with a lot of people, but this time it was a forest. A forest where no one will know even if I disappear."
Ugh, I said, frowning as the memory of the masquerade ball came to mind.
"Is the Grand Duke your greatest concern?"
I nodded as if asking the obvious.
"The Grand Duke will be no threat to you."
"How do you know that?"
Kael avoided answering and looked out the window. For some reason, he looked like a slightly hurt person. I'm guessing he's trying to reassure me, right?
"Speaking of which, how about going out now and meeting the knights?"
"Knights?"
"If there is someone you like, I will appoint them as your escort."
The man stood up and said.
"Even if you don't participate in the hunting banquet, I think you'll need an escort. I have been indifferent all this time."
That doesn't mean you'll be assigned surveillance instead of escort. I stood up with an uneasy feeling.
***
We left the restaurant and headed outside to the sunny area. The weather was too hot for a walk, so I clicked my tongue and said,
"It must be very hot to train outside on a day like this."
"If they can't survive this much, it's not worth staying here."
I suddenly felt like teasing the cold-hearted look of a man I rarely saw.
"Are you telling me to listen to this?"
Kael had a puzzled look on his face as if he didn't understand what I was saying.
"Hmm, where should I go if I can't stand this weather..."
"Enri, what? That's not what I meant."
Only then did the man understand what I meant and spoke in an urgent tone.
"I was so hurt that it wasn't worth staying here any longer."
Sobbing.
Undaunted, I turned around and pretended to wipe away tears. At that time, Kael's face looked so embarrassed that he was almost pale.
"No. I mean...."
"It's a joke."
At that point, I generously concluded my morning revenge.
"You're surprised?"
Kael smiled with an awkward, creaky motion.
"My heart almost fell, but this is okay."
I burst out laughing, appreciating his rare reaction.
"It's nothing special, why are you so surprised? I don't usually do that."
We were almost at the training ground. Kael suddenly stopped and took a step closer. He was so tall that a dark shadow was cast over my head.
When I reflexively flinched and looked up, I saw lips slowly moving.
"Because I need you."
It was a voice that did not contain any laughter.
"..."
I was just blinking at the serious voice that made me wonder if it was a confession.
"Captain, are you here?"
"Ah!"
I suddenly screamed at the voice that came from behind me. Kael immediately wrapped his hand around my shoulder as if to protect me.
"Are you okay?"
"Ah yes...."
A muscular man was standing in the direction where the sound came from. His eyes were confused as if he had seen something he couldn't see.
"Are you going around without showing your presence? My fianceé was surprised."
"No, last time, you specifically instructed me to do training to eliminate presence... yep."
The man, who was about to say something, shut his mouth when he saw Kael's sharp gaze. He immediately bowed and said hello.
"Nice to see you. I am Bacchus, vice-captain of the Knights of Dawn."
"Nice to meet you, Bacchus."
After saying hello, I looked back and forth between the bulky man and Kael. Kael raised his eyebrows and lowered his head as if he had something to say.
I whispered quietly into his ear.
"Kael, were you the knight commander?"
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